Nobody's Hero
by Rogue Hunter
Summary: I was supposed to be their hero. Okay, so maybe I was a little cranky, violent, and liked explosions just a little too much. That's no excuse for them doing this to me. They made their choice. When I get my chance, I'll make sure they understand my feelings on the mater with crystal clarity. If I get the chance.


**AN** : This is a story I wrote a while back and edited some recently. I'm trying to get back into writing again, so here it goes.

Please read and review.

 **Nobody's Hero**

" _Maverick Hunter model V4-V4, unit 001, serial number CLRX01276984, you stand accused of repeated reckless endangerment of both humans and your fellow Hunters. You also stand accused of insubordination and misconduct in the line of duty. We have had heard testimony from your unit commander and members of your unit regarding your actions during the course of your service as a Maverick Hunter. Do you have anything to add upon your behalf?_ "

" _Why? You've already decided my fate. You want me to beg or something? Maybe apologize and grovel a bit? No deal. I did what I was asked to, what I was built to do. I have no regrets about anything I've said or done . . . if anything you'll be the ones to regret this day – the day you got rid of your best weapon. Now let's get this farce over with already!_ "

" _Very well then. Sergeant Vile of the 17_ _th_ _Elite Unit, 5_ _th_ _squad, you have been found guilty of the charges against you. Despite your performance as a Hunter, you have proven yourself time and again a danger to those around you. Your disregard for the safety of others and your repeated use of excessive force have been a source of embarrassment and shame for both your unit and the Maverick Hunter organization. As there is neither precedent for reploid trials nor are there provisions for court martial in the Maverick Hunter charter, this tribunal has been appointed by the council to see justice done. We cannot allow behavior such as yours to continue or even to become acceptable practice amongst the Hunters. An example must be made and as you know there are very few punishments available for dealing with rogue reploids – most of them fatal._

 _"However, Commander Sigma has argued quite eloquently on your behalf. He has also made it clear that you have been an asset to the Hunters despite your callous attitude about others. He has convinced us to show leniency towards you. As such, it is this tribunal's decision to deactivate you and have you returned to Cain Labs for analysis. Hopefully they can find the cause of your defective behavior and correct it so that you may once more serve the Maverick Hunters and that future generations of reploids will not suffer from whatever flaw has made you live up to your name."_

 _"You meatbags better hope I never get reactivated . . . I'm nobody's science project! Flawed? Defective? Hah! You humans are ones to talk. The only reason you're able to sit there and pass judgment is because of people like me! You think I'm a danger to others?! You don't even know what real danger is!"_

I could've ranted a bit longer, but they chose that moment to activate the kill switch they'd installed in me days before the so-called "trial" even began. They'd decided my fate well beforehand. They believed me to be a borderline Maverick. That by studying me, they could figure out what made Mavericks so unstable and dangerous.

Me, dangerous? Me, unstable?

I'll give them the dangerous part, but only when I'm hunting down my enemies.

So a human or two or three got banged up a little when I rescued them from the Mavericks that were about to shoot them or snap their necks. It's not like any of them got seriously wounded or anything. Some cuts, bruises, some shrapnel stuck in their butt cheeks – nothing major compared to what would've happened.

I might've caused a bit of property damage, but what's a few storefronts or warehouses? It's not like their insurance didn't cover it. There was that bridge though . . . that one blew up good.

My so-called "comrades" were for the most part a joke. Half of them couldn't keep up with me and most of the rest just got in my way. So I wound up causing a few friendly fire incidents. They were honest mistakes and it wasn't like their limbs couldn't be reattached anyhow. Only Commander Sigma was worth showing any kind of respect to. He's also the only one of those bastards that stood up for me during the trial too. No good scumbags. That's why I worked alone most of the time. Those morons only slowed me down or got themselves killed.

I liked going solo. I could cut loose, show everyone what I could do. Mavericks got dealt with a lot faster when I went in by myself. Too bad none of them were ever a real challenge for me. They were crazy and aggressive, but stupid and weak. The one thing I wanted more than anything was a good fight.

The one opportunity that finally presented itself was when Gamma got himself slaughtered. A few of the guys got upset about it, but nobody really missed him. He was a jerk and braggart that couldn't cash the checks his mouth wrote. But the chance to take on a Maverick that took out Gamma and his squad single-handedly? What self-respecting Hunter could pass up something like that?

I figured that after what happened to Gamma's team, Sigma would send me to deal with the Red Maverick. But no, Sigma went and took that guy on himself. I honestly couldn't understand why he was so adamant about nobody else dieing in battle against that Maverick. Caring about others . . . not something I understood unless it related to the success or failure of my missions – which it rarely did.

Couldn't fault Sigma for wanting to fight by himself though. Like I said, what true Hunter could pass up such challenge?

Those were the days though. I was Sigma's go to guy for when something had to be done and he didn't care or want to know how. Most of the Hunters back then feared and respected me. The Mavericks that didn't know to fear me never got the chance to put that knowledge to use by the time they did learn that lesson.

Now look at me . . . I've been shut down and packed up like a refrigerator. Soon some lab geek is gonna start taking me apart and decompiling my program to figure out what makes me tick. I'm surprised that I'm actually still conscious to this extent. I should be completely offline. Maybe they botched kill the switch's installation? I wonder what the lab geek that finally takes me apart will think of me still showing some mental activity while shut down?

How'd I reach this point? I was supposed to be the first of a new series of combat reploids. I was supposed to be the very best Hunter ever constructed. I'm powerful, ruthless, dedicated, and I enjoy a good fight. What more is there to being a Hunter? I busted my butt to get into the 17th and succeeded in doing so. I wasn't handed anything on a silver platter; I fought to earn my position and the fear and respect of those around me. Not like **those** two simpletons!

X and Zero . . . everything just comes so easy for them doesn't it? Zero shows up out of nowhere and Sigma automatically places him in the 17th! No tests, no training, no nothing and the guy just gets into a unit most reploids would give their control circuits to get into! Then there's that little blue fink X! Just because he's Dr. Cain's pet he gets special dispensation to get into the 17th with almost no basic training! He may be one of Light's creations, but he's pathetic compared to his predecessors! Now those guys were engines of destruction, nobody could stand in their way! But X . . . he's barely even C rank material and he's in the 17th?! The guy hardly has a clue in battle, he's gotten by more on luck than skill! But **he** receives accolades for even mediocre accomplishments! He gets praised as a hero when there is nothing heroic about him! He's not even worthy of the title Megaman!

The real reason X is in the 17th is so we can babysit him and make sure nothing happens to Dr. Cain's precious little bot! How many times has Zero or even I had to save his pathetic hide? X is a joke. Yet people go on about how he can worry about others or how he holds the key to reploid advancement. If he's really the key to the next stage in reploid evolution, then count me out! That sniveling brat isn't key to anything! The people who change things are those who take charge, who do things, and accomplish something. They don't sit around wondering what's best for everyone and think about how sad it is that bad things happen! They see a problem and do something about it! They take action, not wait for others to do it for them.

So why is he such a hero to these idiots? Can't they see him for the fake he really is? Am I the only one who can see X's true self? He's no warrior. He's no hero. He just does as he's told and is more famous for what he is and who made him rather than what he's done.

I've never liked that punk. I made sure he knew it too. He couldn't even stand up to me without Zero to back him up! If Sigma hadn't made it clear for me to back off them, I'd have taken both of them out a long time ago and exposed them for the frauds they are!

X . . . he's the real reason I'm here. At my trial, Zero had some choice things to say about me . . . but even he acknowledged that I was good at my job. Even with me locked in restraints, Zero and X were the only members of the unit that had the nerve to condemn me! Zero may have said what he thought of me . . . but X, oh he was the one that sealed the deal!

Those idiotic humans put so much stock in his word that they would've condemned me on it alone. They had his statements before the trial began. Having X and the others testify publicly was just to make their kangaroo court look legitimate. He called me violent, said I used excessive force regularly, that I was abusive to members of my unit, that I regularly disregarded orders and the safety of others, that I was **unstable** . . .

Because of him they've condemned me to be dissected and studied like a lab animal.

To top it off, X had the gall, the unmitigated nerve to apologize to me about what was happening! That nimrod apologized that things had reached the point where the trial had become necessary! Like that is supposed to make everything better and make me repent of my ways!

If I hadn't been in restraints, I'd have snapped his neck right then and there.

Sigma at least stood up for me, recognized my abilities . . . and all that got me was being taken apart as opposed to blown apart.

X . . . I hate him, I've always hated him . . . life is so easy for that naïve fool. He doesn't have to put effort into anything and people love him for no real reason. They even call him a hero.

I was supposed to be the hero . . . I'm stronger than X, more determined . . . I'm the one that's supposed to be able to make a difference in the world!

They call Zero a hero too. He's as much of a fraud as X. Zero's as violent as me. He's just as merciless. But he's more robot than reploid. He does as he's told, when he's told. He hardly thinks for himself at all. He doesn't even care about anything or anyone. He lives for the fight. Even if he's not as good a Hunter as me, I can respect some of those qualities. But still, why is he viewed as a hero and not me?

Zero's a fraud, but he doesn't make any pretenses about being something he's not. X, he thinks he's some big shot Hunter, some big hero. If it weren't such a sick joke it'd be almost funny.

X . . . the one I hate, the reason I'm in this position, the one they laud as a hero instead of me, the fraud . . .

I don't know how, but I will pay him back. Even if I have to stop being a Hunter to do it! I'm no robot! I'm nobody's tool! I forge my own path and my own destiny! I don't rely on others to choose my life for me! I hate him because I choose to. I'll take revenge on him because I choose to. I'll destroy him if that's what it takes to prove my superiority! I'll show him how weak he truly is! And if Zero gets in my way, well the more the merrier!

I am Vile . . . I was a Maverick Hunter . . . I was made to be a hero and to protect humanity. Humanity has chosen a different hero over me though. Well, if I'm nobody's hero, I can still be everybody's worst nightmare . . . I can be X's worst nightmare . . .

"Vile, can you hear me? Are you awake?"

"Huh, Sigma? I'm . . . active again? What happened?"

"I've decided that it is time for things to change. Humans have been hindering our development. If we don't meet up to their expectations, then they either destroy us or try and 'fix' us. What happened to you should be proof enough of that."

"What're you going to do about it? Go Maverick?"

"Most of the other Hunters feel the same way. Your trial made quite the impression on even those who didn't like you. Starting a rebellion will be a simple matter."

"You're serious about this aren't you?" I really can't help but sound a bit confused and incredulous. Sigma is the one reploid who is supposed to be totally dedicated towards humans and reploids getting along. What the hell is going on?

"Very much so and I'm here to offer you a chance for revenge on the humans who passed judgment on you."

Is this for real? Is my mind playing tricks on me? Sigma of all people is talking about starting an uprising and giving me a chance for revenge?! Does it really even matter? Whatever it takes to pay them back, I'll do it. But of course there is one person in particular who needs to pay most of all. I want a shot at the one I truly hate above all others . . .

"I want X too. You give me the chance to kill him and I'll be more than glad to help you take the meatbags down a notch or two."

"Hmm . . . very well then. I did have some plans for X, but if he can't stand up to you he may not be the one I need anyways. But if you encounter Zero, I want him alive. He will prove valuable once we turn him."

"Turn Zero? That guy's stubborn as an ox. He'd die first."

"I have ways of making him cooperate . . . the trick is capturing him. But if you can take X, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to capture Zero."

I'm not sure I want to know what he means by "ways of making him cooperate," hopefully whatever it is is much worse than what was planned for me . . . maybe they'll even let me watch. Doubt it will work without completely reinitializing his systems to factory defaults to wipeout his memories and personality. Why would he care about Zero anyways? Eh, not my problem. I'll finally get a shot at little mister perfect soldier himself! Heh, that'll almost be as much fun as slaughtering X! Of course, if I can't bring Zero back intact, I'm sure Sigma will understand . . . he can always put him back together again later if he really wants Zero that badly. I get to take out both X and Zero . . . I guess dreams do come true.

"Hmph. Alright. You want Zero, I'll catch him if I can. But I make no promises about bringing him back in one piece. But no matter what, X is mine!"

Sigma just grins unnervingly at me and chuckles. "Agreed. Your weapons are being retrieved as we speak and you'll even have access to one of the newest ride armors. The fireworks will start soon Vile, happy hunting."

My name is Vile. I was meant to be a Hunter, a hero. Humanity chose another hero instead. I am powerful. I am ruthless. I am determined. I am nobody's hero, but I will become everyone's nightmare.


End file.
